Karachaganak Petroleum Operating (KPO) has completed First Gas Reinjection under its KEP-1B Project ahead of schedule at the Karachaganak field in northwestern Kazakhstan — a milestone the joint venture says was reached with over 7 million man-hours worked on site, including 5.5 million recorded without a lost-time incident.
The early delivery marks a significant step for one of Kazakhstan’s largest oil and gas fields, with implications for how much gas the facility can treat and how long it can sustain liquid output.
KPO achieves First Gas Reinjection milestone ahead of schedule
Completing a major industrial project ahead of schedule is rare in any sector. Doing so while logging over 7 million man-hours — 5.5 million of them without a single lost-time incident — makes the achievement considerably more notable.
KPO announced that the KEP-1B Project reached First Gas Reinjection safely and before its planned date. The company described the milestone as a demonstration of its “ongoing commitment to safe, responsible and efficient operation” at Karachaganak.
That safety record deserves a closer look. Across large-scale oil and gas construction, maintaining LTI-free performance over millions of hours signals real site discipline and workforce management. It is not a given on projects anywhere near this scale or complexity.
New compressor to boost gas treatment and reservoir pressure
At the center of KEP-1B is a new compressor. KPO expects it to significantly increase the field’s overall gas treatment capacity while raising the volume of gas that can be reinjected underground — two outcomes that reinforce each other.
Reinjection serves a precise engineering purpose. Pushing more gas back into the reservoir helps maintain the underground pressure that drives liquid hydrocarbons toward the surface, functioning as something far more deliberate than simple disposal.
Sustained reservoir pressure is what allows a field to hold its liquid production plateau over time. Without it, output tends to decline faster as the reservoir depletes. The KEP-1B compressor is designed to slow that process and extend Karachaganak’s productive life.
Project overcame geopolitical and supply chain challenges
The path to First Gas Reinjection was not straightforward. KPO acknowledged that the project advanced despite geopolitical tensions, logistical restrictions, and supply chain disruptions — a combination that has complicated energy infrastructure work across the region in recent years. The company credited strong project execution and operational resilience for keeping KEP-1B on track through those headwinds.
KPO General Director Marco Marsili was direct. “Achieving the Gas Injection milestone ahead of schedule and with an excellent safety record reflects the dedication, professionalism and strong collaboration of all teams involved,” he said. He added that the project “plays a key role in sustaining production and delivering long-term value to all stakeholders.”
Local content and employment commitments under KEP-1B
Beyond the technical milestone, KPO has pointed to the project’s local economic footprint. KEP-1B has reached 39% local content to date, against an overall project target of 45%. That figure measures the share of goods, services, and labor sourced within Kazakhstan.
During construction, the project created employment for more than 2,000 local personnel. KPO expects that employment support to continue as KEP-1B moves into its operational phase. Local content commitments have become a standard expectation for international operators in Kazakhstan, and KPO’s progress toward 45% suggests the company is treating that obligation as a concrete deliverable rather than a secondary consideration.
Karachaganak field background and KPO ownership structure
Karachaganak sits in northwestern Kazakhstan and ranks among the world’s largest gas and condensate fields. Its performance carries direct consequences for the country’s hydrocarbon output and government revenues.
KPO is structured as a joint venture between five partners: Eni and Shell each hold a 29.25% stake, Chevron holds 18%, Lukoil holds 13.5%, and KazMunayGas — Kazakhstan’s national oil company — holds 10%. That ownership structure ties the field’s fortunes to a mix of European, American, Russian, and Kazakh interests. Since inception, Karachaganak has made substantial contributions to Kazakhstan’s national budget through taxes and other mandatory payments, according to KPO.
Key takeaways
The completion of First Gas Reinjection under KEP-1B is a concrete operational advance for Karachaganak. The new compressor is expected to raise gas treatment capacity, support higher reinjection volumes, and help maintain the reservoir pressure needed to sustain liquid output over the long term.
Delivered ahead of schedule despite significant external disruptions, the project has so far achieved 39% local content and employed more than 2,000 local workers during construction. KPO operates one of the world’s largest gas and condensate fields as a five-partner joint venture — and this milestone, by the company’s own account, reinforces Karachaganak’s position as a long-term productive asset for Kazakhstan.
